New Menu Bar App 'Someone Was Here' Enhances Mac Security with Local Face Recognition

A new macOS utility called ‘Someone Was Here’ has been introduced to the Hacker News community, offering users a novel way to monitor unauthorized access to their computers. Designed as a lightweight menu bar application, the tool leverages Apple Vision and Core ML to perform real-time face recognition entirely on the local machine, ensuring user privacy by avoiding cloud-based processing or data tracking.

The core functionality of the app is straightforward: when a user steps away from their Mac, the application remains vigilant. If someone attempts to use the computer—whether the device was left unlocked or the intruder managed to obtain the password—the app captures a photograph of the individual. If the detected face does not match the owner, the system triggers an alert.

To ensure the owner is notified immediately, the developer has integrated support for remote alerts. While the base application focuses on local privacy, users can opt for a one-time lifetime purchase of $4.99 to enable real-time notifications. These alerts can be routed through various channels, including a dedicated companion app for iPhone and iPad, as well as third-party services like Pushover, ntfy, Telegram, or custom webhooks. By keeping the processing local and avoiding advertisements, the developer aims to provide a transparent and secure solution for those concerned about physical security in shared or public environments. The project is currently being discussed on Hacker News, where users are evaluating its utility for personal digital security.

Sources: Hacker News

Aggregated summary. Original: Hacker News